I must say, I was definitely pleasantly surprised with the food. Down side.. coming in at 7 ish on Sat, also Halloween night, we had a 45-60min wait. How did we come upon this place? -- After a day running around in Napa from winery to winery, we came upon Rutherford Grill. At first, I was weary of the menu, didn't seem like very many selections, I was kind of like "damn..$14 dollar cheeseburger...$18 dollar thai chicken salad??"..well it IS Napa right? so, I decided, let me just try this $17 enchilada platter. and my friend tried the $18 rotisserie chicken. Must say.. the food was EXCELLENT. We tried the deviled eggs for a starter.. they were ok. but it did taste more like potato salad on an egg white. The cucumber salad on the enchilada plate was sooooo good. It makes me want to make it..and I do noottttt cook at all. The enchilada was delicious. The rice was so flavorful. Just really really good. My friend rotisserie chicken was also delish and so were the mashed potatoes. What was cute -- the diet coke and coke come served in the coke bottles. :) Waitress smiled, was on cue.. not too long of a wait for the food. In the end.. I was happy we decided to just wait it out and stay. Tip from the locals -- if the wait is too long..just head to the bar. :) read more

I tried the ostrich here and it was SOOO good. Reminded me of REALLY good steak. The salad was fresh and delicious. But my favorite was the mash potatoes. They put bits of something in there that was slightly crunchy. I've never had mash potatoes anywhere else like it. My cousin and I still talk about it to this day! Everything was soooo good. The service was also very friendly even though we were dressed super casual compared to everyone else. read more

Incredible burgers! Great service! Wonderful ambiance and worth the price! We all had the California burger, special of the day at the same price as the cheeseburger, piled high with a generous amount of sliced avocado, the right amount of melted cheddar, tomato, onion, and lettuce. Just a touch of mustard was on the lightly toasted egg bun. And the burger itself! I am actually salivating just thinking about it. Maybe the first time I've ordered a burger medium-rare and received exactly what I wanted. Mmmm... Fries are shoestring style, very crunchy without any substance. Tasty in the burger. Mashed potatoes are also quite good. I looooved the very wild rice, served cold with a bunch of delicious things mixed in (almonds? cranberries? who knows!) I'll definitely come back. I suggest reservations (we waited for about 20 minutes for lunch at 2). read more

4 1/2 stars - exciting and flavorful food, friendly service, relaxed ambiance, shaded patio with nicely spaced tables. $45 for lunch (no alcohol, apps or dessert). ***It says no corkage fees on the front window. They obviously have the customer in mind. There was about a 20 minute wait for the patio on a Thursday at lunchtime, but it was also summer close to a holiday. They don't take lunch reservations, but the hostess was very friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed. After we sat down, we ordered the iced tea, which was a black tea with mango puree, which I thought was clever, but not mind blowing (if you like fruity teas, I'm sure you will love this!). We decided to go with the Ahi salad and the Thai steak salad. Neither my mom nor I care for onions, so we had a lengthy conversation with our server about whether we could order the salads without them. Usually I order something else if it's an issue, but she said it was no problem. When our food arrived and I saw the green onions thoroughly mixed into my salad, I contemplated not saying anything, but I knew I wouldn't enjoy my meal, so I decided to send the food back. Luckily, we had already had the conversation about the onions, so it was more humorous than anything. I'm used to people not identifying green onions/scallions as onions. It baffles me, but I get it. While waiting, I took a few bites of the Ahi salad and I would definitely give it 5 stars for freshness and flavor. My "new" salad arrived within ten minutes and it looked like they redid the salad, but perhaps re-fired the steak since it arrived medium rare (my preference) the first time, and looked to be medium the second time around. I was a little disappointed, but I wasn't surprised. I didn't expect them to toss aside perfectly good steak. The salad was very tasty. It had excellent flavor - tangy with a touch of sweet and spicy, and the steak had a nice charred texture that I liked. After writing this review, I have decided that a green onion/scallion is not universally accepted as an onion, so I'm going to take responsibility for that discrepancy and be more specific in my future ordering. I commend my waitress for not getting an attitude. I can't wait to try Rutherford Grill again. read more

When can I go to Napa again to eat at Rutherford again!!?!? Service: Great. The moment we walked in we were greeted by warm hostesses and other staff. This was a shock, because I'm a service nazi, and i haven't had such a warm reception in a long time. Food: AHHHMAZING!! Finally, a place that lives up to the hype! I ordered the mahi mahi sandwich. I'm not sure if they put crack in there or what, but my sandwich was excellent. I had steamed broccoli on the side, and that was by far the best steamed broccoli i've ever had! Atmosphere: Casual and comfortable. It is not snobby or pretentious like a lot of the other restaurants in napa. How refreshing!! Bottom Line: I Heart Rutherford Grill!!! read more

I love the Hillstone group's restaurants and Rutherford Grill is basically a carbon copy of Houston's in Rutherford, Ca. A few differences to the menu but basically the same food, service, etc. We sat at the bar because they were super busy even though it was 330 on a Sunday! Bar service was a bit spotty. Only 2 bartenders and they did fine, just not as excellent as the Hillstone group usually does. Our appetizer came out right away but our food took a long time. Apparently, they have a policy in their manual that if the food is over 12 minutes, they give it to us free. But they didn't offer that to us. The girl was bit snippy too when I asked how much longer it would be. I had a small Caesar salad which was good and a side of grilled bread. I prefer Houston's, the food wasn't amazing here. It's definitely a step or two below fine dining. But it's a fun atmosphere. read more

We had reservations at 11:30 am on a Saturday and it was perfect timing. Our waiter was excellent. I don't like to be ignored but probably as irritating is being hovered. We had our own water jug so we were properly hydrated :) We had the avacado chip dip and the corn bread. Both were on the sweet side to me but yum. I ordered the 2 Enchilladas, and for $1.00 more you can get an extra. Yum-yum! My boyfriend ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad which had an asian flair-soy sauce flavoring ;) Really delicious for those watching their figures. John, our host, had the grilled artichokes with a mayo-dill somthing sauce which was excellent. When we left, the walkway was lined with people waiting to go in. read more

Busy place along a busy road, but worth it. I get the feeling this is not for the locals -- too bad. They are missing out. Order an appetizer and drink and wait outside at a table while waiting for your name to be called. The salad with tuna is very good. read more

Great meal and always dependable quality and service! We always get the skillet cornbread to start (YUM). Today I had the French Dip sandwich and my husband had a cheeseburger. We split both, and both were delicious! Two things that didn't bother us, but we didn't care for: 1) the fries are like shoestrings...salty and no substance. I prefer a little more substance...not a steak fry...something more the size of In and Out 2) the mashed potatoes were *loaded* with chopped onion. unexpected and we liked, but unexpected :) No reservations unless you're a party of 6 or more, but if you get there early, it's generally not a problem. read more

Order the ribs and cornbread. You can't go wrong. These are the best ribs in the country. I go here at least once a year. I wish they would take reservations. The wait can be up to two hours during high season. It's still worth it; you can sit outside in the nice courtyard and have a drink from the outdoor bar if you like. Hot tip: rainy winter day = no wait! Enjoy! read more

We came here in between wineries and to cleanse our palette. I've been coming here for years. I've only ordered the roasted chicken. I decided to order the prime rib french dip sandwich with coleslaw. I was more than happy with my choice. The meat was cooked perfect and the au jus was flavorful. The coleslaw tasted fresh and seasoned well. The bf ordered the roasted chicken sandwich and the chicken was cooked to perfection. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries were crunchy and seasoned well. This place has great food and good service. read more

Rutherford Grill - Prime rib French dip with coleslaw - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

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I have heard a lot of hype about this place, so I had high expectations. The wait was about an hour, but they have a great patio area so we had some wine and hung out, and time flew by. The restaurant is beautifully decorated but a little too dark, crowded, and noisy. If I'm paying over 30 bucks a plate for food, I don't expect to feel like I'm in an Outback Steakhouse. Everyone in my party liked our food but none of us felt that it was extraordinary, with one exception--the cornbread! The best cornbread I have ever had. I wish I could have made a meal of it. Other than that, the serving sizes were small (I don't know what everyone else is talking about), the mashed potatoes were really bland, and the sausage was--Meh. I'm glad I finally got to try it, but I'm not sure I'd go back. read more

Mother's Day dinner with my wife and newborn son could not have been better. Outdoor seating on a beautiful day with excellent food. Might I recommend the grilled artichoke as an appetizer and pork ribs as an entree. Don't forget your glass o vino, bon appetit! read more

DELICIOUS. The wait is decently long- but just go over and taste some wine at Beaulieu while you're waiting. The grilled jumbo artichokes are so great. I never knew how good artichokes could be. Ribs were wonderful too. Go here and enjoy! read more

We have driven by this restaurant so many times & there's always a line of people waiting outside, come rain or shine. My fiance and I finally committed ourselves to having a casual dinner in Napa and I made a reservation almost 2 months early because I already knew this was a popular place. It's always busy! We absolutely love this restaurant! Free wine corkage can't be beaten! For starters, we had the grilled jmbo artichoke to share, and just like everyone else says here, it really was the best damn artichoke we ever had! SO SO GOOD! We were also in the mood for sharing a salad, and asked our server what her recommendation was between the House Salad or Kale Salad. She said she loves the Kale Salad and we said ok, we'll get that! She was on point with this! It was such a simple salad with a peanut vinaigrette but filled with so much flavor! YUM. We were in the mood for burgers for once, so I had a Cheeseburger with cole slaw and my fiance had the Veggie Burger with fries. Both were great, but we couldn't finish our burgers nor our salad. The veggie burger was a bit different since the patty was more on the sweeter side but was really good. The cole slaw was delicious too! Our total cost for everything, about $56 more or less. Not bad at all. This place is always busy, so if you're coming here on a whim expect a long wait and maybe bring 2 bottles of wine to share or order cocktails on their outdoor patio. If you have a reservation like I did, you'll still need to expect a short wait. Nonetheless, this place really is worth the wait so be patient and be nice to the hostess's! And last bit of advice, don't be shy on asking your server for recommendations... they work there and are usually always right! read more

Overall, amazing. Food: AMAZING. I have had the enchiladas, chopped salad, several different cuts of meat, and the jalapeno cornbread. You can't lose; everything is delicious, high quality food. Corking Fee: N/A!! Amazing - bring and drink your wine for free. Service: Staff is always professional and polite. Atmosphere: Romantic - dimly lit, fire in the roasting area, nice leather seats, and very comfortable ambience. Important: Make reservations, otherwise there can be a wait between 1-2 hours long. Still worth the wait. Reservations fill up quickly, so they should be made early in the day. read more

This place was good, although I wish I had known it was part of the Houston's restaurant group. This was my first trip to Napa and I would have gone somewhere different had I known this since it is essentially the exact same menu as the Houston's we have in DC. Bonus points for the awesome outdoor patio where there is plenty of space and tables to order drinks while you wait to be seated, and the adorable blonde waitress with the southern accent (can't remember her name) who so graciously put up with my drunk family and our silly antics. My one gripe is that we had a reservation and we still had to wait 30+ minutes for our table, although I was shocked to discover that this seemed to be the norm everywhere we went in Napa. What is up with that? read more

We stopped here on our first trip to Napa 4 years ago and enjoyed the drinks outside (they let us bring in our own bottle of Castella Di Amorosa Cab with no corkage fee) and when ready - enjoyed the meal inside. So this time we brought our daughter - too many dogs outside - even though I love dogs it was too much. For the meal I got the $37 center cut filet mignon while my wife got the salmon ($25) and daughter had the ribs ($28). add in a $3 cup of tea and 7 dollars tax for an even $100 (we brought our own bottles ) - The meal was good. I'd say very good but far from over the top. Still glad we went both times and if in the area again - would go. Just wish there weren't so many dogs allowed in there. read more

Excellent lunch spot when driving from San Fran to Napa for the day. I called ahead to make sure the wait wasn't too long and it was only about 5 minutes shortly after 1 pm. We were seated in a nice big booth and given some water to start. Our server was very nice and offered suggestions when prompted. I ended up with two items from the a la carte menu - the butternut squash and white cheddar enchilada and the kale with peanut sauce salad. Both were very good! I needed to eat before venturing out to the vineyards, so I didn't order any wine. My friend has their house ice tea (mixed with a mango puree) and said it was "interesting", lol. We are both more of an unsweetened ice tea crowd, but I'm sure it was good for those who like it sweet. It's a nice big restaurant with lots of seating and a nice location. A+ in my books. read more

Stopped here on a whim after timeshare meeting thing. The sales person told me to go here and I was a bit weary taking advice from a sales dude trying to sell me a timeshare. HOWEVER. I was pleasantly suprised. They had free corkage, and execellent food. The best part was the service which was Perfect! Everyone there made my meal that much more special. The meat would have been better if it came in one piece instead of being cut up, but maybe that's just me. Other than that. great ambiance , nice out door patio and rather good value. read more

I ordered the prime rib french dip with jack cheese and it was packed with flavor. I'm not sure if it was the wine talking but wow, the prime rib dipped in that As Jus sauce with the perfect bread was just amazing. If I'm every back in Napa, i will no doubt be back for this french dip sandwich. read more

Rutherford Grill - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

This is my favorite restaurant in the world. The PRIME RIB FRENCH DIP SANDWICH is one of the best things I have ever eaten. Seriously, I have been here 7 times now (from Texas) and have consumed this delicious treat every single time. I was just in Napa last week and we went there two night in a row to get it....and there are more than plenty awesome restaurants in the valley. The atmosphere is amazing. I've had some of my best conversations ever at the bar. If you like McAllan scotch, they have it in huge bottles. They don't have one of those bar pour things on them. They fill up your glass really really full every time. Also, no corkage fee. Also delicious: the fish sandwich, ribs and grilled artichoke. But I'm serious, the above mentioned sandwich is just unbelievable. read more

We aren't fancy people. We are pretty happy with a good chain restaurant meal. I was really excited about coming here and it did not disappoint. I had my eye on the French Dip and thought my husband would spring for the Short Ribs but the full rack left him intimidated so he also ordered the French Dip. Before I get to that, the server suggested an appetizer that we couldn't pass up. Jalapeno Cheese Dip with hot tortilla chips. It was delicious. Once we polished off the chips (and had dip remaining), a man appeared with more chips. He hadn't passed by our table or anything. Amazing service! The restaurant was packed so I was expecting a longer wait time for our meal (I had a tasty glass of Syrah to keep me company) but our meals came out so fast. That french dip was to die for. The meat practically melted in my mouth and the bread was soft and buttery. The size of the sandwich was huge and between the appetizer, sandwich and fries (and wine), we both had to pack up the other half of the sandwich for later. Our server was so nice and attentive. Everything about Rutherford Grill was excellent. The only bad thing was the party of 4 sitting across from us that had obviously spent a good portion of the day wine tasting and were very loud and obnoxious. So much so that when they sat down, I saw a group of servers look their direction and look less than happy to have to serve them! But we just laughed at their annoying behaviors and enjoyed our lunch. read more

It was very delicious! We started with the corn bread, which every person who has ever been here has told me how freakin' delicious this stuff was. As as avid fan of corn bread, I may of had too high of expectations. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I'm not sure if it is a recent thing, or maybe something that needs to be requested, but it had jalapenos on top. I do like jalapenos, but I didn't enjoy it on my corn bread. My fellow diners ordered the tomato salad, and they all enjoyed it a lot. I don't know what kind of tomatoes they used, but it looked pretty delicious. I don't eat tomatoes, but it looked good enough for me to almost want to taste a bite. I've always said that no restaurant can make something as good or better than my mom could. That was until I ordered the french dip from this restaurant. It was amazing! The meat just melted in your mouth, if it weren't for the bread chewing would only be a suggestion, this stuff was so tender. My mouth is watering thinking about it. I would definitely go back! I would love to try the ribs next time, I hear they are just as mouth melting as the meat in the french dip! read more

It looks like it's always packed and that's because it always is. The reason why it's always packed is because it's worth every minute of every wait for a table to dine at Rutherford Grill. I have been dying to eat here and have passed on the opportunity because of the tremendous wait, but I learned my lesson this time and came right when the lunch hour started to snag a table. Enjoyed a beautiful outdoor table on the patio with the hubs and soaked up that beautiful Napa Valley sun. Started with the spinach and artichoke dip - delicious! Nothing extraordinary from what you usually get but definitely tasted fresh and authentic. For lunch, I had the oak grilled salmon and the husband had the BBQ pork ribs. I like fish but don't normally order it when I go out to eat. This salmon was exceptional - every bite was easily cut and melted in my mouth. The mashed potatoes were fresh and the vegetable that day was green beans (my fave!). The pork ribs were also great, saucy and full of flavor. Of course, I am a french fries fanatic and devoured most of my husband's side of these. If we weren't already being piglets, we also ordered a side of the cornbread. BEST. DECISION. EVER. That cornbread is no joke - soft, moist and tasty! We loved it so much we took the leftovers home. Bottom line: worth the wait, go here, eat and enjoy. Only then you'll understand why getting a table is so hard but makes people stand outside and wait all day and night for one. read more

One of my favorite place to go to for lunch when I'm in Napa Valley. The BEST corn bread on an iron skillet. It is so delicious that I will just stop by to get it to go for later. The portions are large here that it is good for sharing. The place is downright comfortable to either hang out on the patio area on a nice day or inside with their rustic decor. There is nothing pretentious here just out right good comfy American food with good service. It is worth the wait if you see a crowd. read more

OUTSTANDING! Excellent service and top quality food. We had lunch here and we had Grilled jumbo Artichoke, French Dip and cheeseburger. The wait for a table to dine-in was quite long for obvious reasons. Make reservations if you want a table! Otherwise, bar seating is first come first serve. Our server was great & attentive. We will definitely be back! read more

French dip(the best I've had and I don't say that a lot), BBQ ribs, mash potatoes, etc etc...and no corkage fee!!! Bring your favorite wine and enjoy :) read more

Rutherford Grill - Ok, this food is beyond amazing!!! - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

Love the salads and the enchiladas!!!! Yum Yum Good!

1 word... RIBS! They make the best ribs, my god! They were enough to split and still feel really full! Service was great after we waited 90 minutes for a table. That is the only reason why I didn't give Ritherford's 5 stars. We got our food within 15 minutes of order or less. It was really fast! The ambiance was really lovely. They have a great outdoor patio with heat lamps in kind of a desertish setting. It was nice. The best thing is they had a bar outside so waiting isn't TOO awful. read more

Five stars because we had a perfect lunch last Sunday. I'd heard great things about the Rutherford Grill and it was a certain stop on our trip to CA. The cornbread is phenomenal, with fresh corn and a hint of jalapeño, it was crusty at the edges and moist inside. I was floored. But that was just the start. I'd heard that the French Dip at RG is the best in the the Western Hemisphere, and I can't disagree. Perfectly cooked, thinly sliced medium rare roast beef was piled high onto a brioche-type roll that could stand up to the au jus. Amazingly, almost none of the beef fell out during the dipping process. Perfect. As was the cole slaw, seasoned with lemon and tarragon. The ribs were excellent...fall off the bone tender. And the grilled lemon dill sea bass was a outstanding. If you're visiting the Napa Valley and you've never been here, plan your day around lunch or dinner. Or both. It's well worth it. read more

I just wanted to do this review because this was our first time in Napa. Great friend of mine had recommended this restaurant for dinner. Great atmosphere and friendly staff greeted us when we got to the place. She quickly sat us to a table and a really nice server name Caroline came to take our order. We ordered cornbread (it was amazing!!!). Buttery, crispy on the edge but fluffy... Yum yum yum. We ordered kale salad which was amazing. Then we ordered filet which was cooked to perfection. Vegi burger was little oily and we didn't like that but Caroline went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed the food. My husband had fish sandwich and he said it was delicious. Overall I give 5 for the service and the cornbread!!! Caroline made sure that we enjoyed our dinner and she was very pleasant. We would definitely come back here again on our next trip! read more

I stopped in for dinner on a Friday night and ordered Rosemary focaccia bread with olives as a starter. However what was really impressive was the Hickory burger that I got as an entree. I am not big on BBQ sauce so I was a little wary about the hickory prior to ordering however it was the perfect balance with the bacon cheese and raw onion that came on the burger. Our waitress was also really sweet and very attentive, the customer service here is excellent. read more

Rutherford Grill - delicious hickory burger - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

The food is amazing. The ribs are just fall off the bones goodness and the mashed potatoes are creamy and yummy. The cornbread for starters is probably one of the best ones I've had! And the service is pretty stellar, not one drink went dry. Only complaint is that it's pretty pricey but definitely worth the splurge every once in a while. read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in the Napa Valley. When I used to have family visit we always stopped here for lunch. This time I was taken here for lunch by family friends. This place is always crowded so there may be a bit of a wait. The food is absolutely amazing and the wait staff is always running around to keep you happy. Make sure you save room for all three courses appetizer, entree and dessert. Everything is fresh, organic, and delicious. Can not wait to go back. read more

Rutherford Grill - Butternut Enchiladas - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

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Amazing food ! Awesome ambiance and atmosphere !!! Amazing wine selection, I enjoyed my first experience here and I will be back! I only hate that they had a very small food selection choice but everything was fresh and organic. I also didn't like that they only had one type of steak sauce no choices ! But! You can bring your own wine and no corkage fee ! read more

Rutherford Grill - Beautiful place - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

Came here with a reservation and got seated right away. Ordered the grilled artichokes and the French dip; both of which were excellent. The French dip is a must as are the artichokes. The corn bread is good too, it's got a kick to it. But the French dip really blew me away. This restaurant doesn't charge corkage so be sure to bring your own bottle of wine. The ambience is great, it's dimly lit and volume is a mild chatter. Our waitress forgot the glass of wine that we did order which was unfortunate, so we just told her to forget it. We will come back someday for sure. read more

Rutherford Grill - The French dip; outstanding - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

This is one of our special restaurants that we go to frequently. We love the French Dip and grilled artichoke when in season. Our favorite starter is the cornbread. But, our last visit really disappointed us! Usually the cornbread arrived in a heavy iron skillet and was plentiful--enough for 4 hungry diners. But now it arrives in a smaller skillet and the cornbread is turned out onto a plate. The cornbread costs more now ($8) but is about 1/2 as big. It's smaller in circumference and thinner. I don't mind the rise in price but to get less is insulting. read more

Wonderful meal. Caesar had roasted corn and sweet cornbread croutons. I might have to plan another trip just to get to have it again. read more

Rutherford Grill - Oh.my.god. Photo was taken midway through but this was the best Caesar salad I've had - American Near Me - Rutherford, California

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We had an A+ meal at Rutherford's. We started with Cornbread, Olive plate, and deviled eggs for starters! All really good, except the olive plate only had three olives. For the main entree I had the BBQ Combo plate and the wife had the tri tip and enchiladas. For dessert we had the home made Oreo ice cream sandwich. We brought our own wine and there is NO corkage fee! Make sure to book reservations if you plan on arriving at 5:30. read more